SECMD17: Finding identity in South Carolina

The South Carolina Gamecocks were in Hoover Thursday for SEC Media Days. Will Muschamp is entering his second year as the head coach in Columbia.

He says building a winning team takes understanding, “I think the most important thing is just understanding your roster, understanding the players you have on your team, the young men you've recruited in the previous two years to your football team. You're able to mold your team a little bit more about where you want to go and the direction you want to head with it, which, probably, to me, gives you a little bit more of a comfort level, as far as moving forward. I think that as much as anything.”

With a better understanding of what the Gamecocks have, the easier it is to find the team’s identity. Another factor that helps finding identity? Having an established quarterback. Jake Bentley, who started the second half of 2016 season, is penciled in for game one this year.

“I don't think there's any question that, if you have an established guy at that position, it helps your skill recruiting offensively and helps your offensive line recruiting, and then it helps you on defense, because guys want to understand that having a guy at that position that can excel, you're going to win games. And that's part of the process in recruiting is saying we're going to win some football games. Which we are at South Carolina. No doubt.”

South Carolina opens the season against North Carolina State on September 2nd.